Govt imposes curbs to prevent spread of deadly virus in Sgr, elsewhere; people stock essentials, medicines, long queues at petrol pumps, ATMS
Owais Gul/Tasaduk /Jehangir Ganaie
Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag : A day after the first positive case of deadly coronavirus was reported in Kashmir’s Srinagar district, many of the roads wore deserted look as the City areas were put under restriction by the authorities to prevent virus from spreading. Situation was quite similar to Srinagar in all the Kashmir districts.
Central Kashmir
According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), several roads in Srinagar including Khanyar where the positive case was detected were sealed by the authorities by erecting concertina wires on the roads. Pertinently, an elderly lady who had arrived Kashmir on March 16 from Saudi Arabia where she performed Umrah was tested positive on Wednesday evening and was later put in isolation.
The administration as precautionary measure imposed restrictions under 144 CrPc in several areas of Srinagar to ensure the large gatherings are avoided to prevent the deadly virus from spreading. Witnesses said that the police and paramilitary troopers were deployed in strength in Old City areas including Khanyar, Nowhatta, Maisuma and other adjacent areas.
The other areas like Baba Demb, Fateh Kadal, Habba Kadal and commercial Hub Lal Chowk witnessed partial shutdown with most of the shopkeepers preferring to stay at their homes in wake of the virus. The situation was not different in interiors of Srinagar ass the most of shops there also remained closed throughout the day.
It is worth to mention here that officials from the health department today went door to door in Khanyar locality to inquire whether any of the residents is having flu like symptoms.
Besides, the public transport was also off the roads while as a few private vehicles were seen plying normally in Srinagar area throughout the day. The educational institutions across Jammu and Kashmir have been already closed as precautionary measure while only teachers are attending schools.
Moreover, the authorities have also visited several public parks today and asked the concerned officials deputed there to lockdown the parks till further orders. Ali Muhammad, a gardener at public parks in Old City said that the higher ups today after visiting the park asked them to lockdown the parks as precautionary measure. “We have been told not to open the locks of public parks till further orders,” he said.
Authorities have also imposed restrictions in many areas in Budgam district to prevent the virus from spreading.
North Kashmir
In wake of novel coronavirus the district magistrates (DMs) of three north Kashmir district’s including, Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora have imposed strict restrictions under section 144 over the movement of general public and have decided to only allow the functioning of emergency services like, ambulances and the government staff involved in efforts to fight COVID-19.
Section 144 was imposed in all three districts of north Kashmir was imposed by the DMs as precautionary measure in wake of the increasing scare about coronavirus.
The imposition of section 144 pan–North Kashmir will come into effect from Thursday restricting the unnecessary movement within the public places as precautions measure to early fight the spread of novel coronavirus, reads the orders issued by district magistrates as per—KNO.
Except Bandipora, the two district magistrates including Baramulla and Kupwara asked the teachers and non-teaching faculty to not join their duties and advised them to stay indoors and maintain social distance in wake of coronavirus.
Eyewitness told–KNO that curfew like restrictions were imposed across the Bandipora with people refraining to move out unnecessarily while the public transport was off the roads. In Baramulla, eyewitness said that a very thin attendance was witnessed at almost all the vital installations with empty shops in absence of shoppers and the roads wore a deserted look.
In Kupwara, the restrictions on movement of public under section 144 was imposed during afternoon when masses already had made their way to main trio towns, though eyewitness said that there was a major downfall in number of people visiting the market and approaching different offices and shops throughout the day.
In all the three districts of north Kashmir according to—KNO the vital installations and crowded places including, restaurants, dhabas, gymnastic centers and parks etc have been ordered to remain shut to make sure no large gatherings assembles anywhere. The district magistrates have asked people to cooperate with administration and take necessary precautionary measures to fight the spread of novel coronavirus.
South Kashmir
District magistrate Shopian imposed restrictions over the movement of public which was followed by district magistrate Anantnag and later by district magistrate Pulwama and Kulgam, due to which the life came to a grinding halt in all southern districts of Kashmir.
Officials posted in various offices of South Kashmir said till Wednesday there was no effect on the attendance of employees but after first positive case of Coronavirus in valley, today many employees decided not to visit office.
Public transport was plying normally in Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam however there were restrictions in Anantnag town however movement of traffic on inner routes was as usual, eyewitnesses said. Witnesses in these districts said that there was very less movement of public traffic and roads presented a deserted look in major towns with majority of shops remaining closed—(KNO)
